The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has uncovered two additional fictitious government agencies allegedly linked to Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, the self-proclaimed Director-General of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
The discovery was disclosed on Thursday by the ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, while briefing State House correspondents after presenting the commission’s interim investigation report to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Aliyu said the investigation established that Adeyemi was never appointed by the Federal Government and that the PFIPC had no legal backing, as it was neither created by an Act of the National Assembly nor established through an executive order.
According to the interim report, the appointment letter allegedly used by Adeyemi was forged, while the purported PFIPC unlawfully occupied offices and used official instruments previously belonging to the defunct Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
The ICPC chairman said the alleged syndicate operated from the former PEAC office and engaged in impersonation, false representation and other illegal activities by exploiting gaps in verification and coordination among government agencies.
He disclosed that investigators also uncovered two other fictitious agencies — the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency.
“These agencies were created using forged legislative instruments and were used to open bank accounts for illegal activities,” he said.
Aliyu further revealed that Adeyemi later changed the name of the purported organisation from the Foreign Investment Promotion Council to the Foreign Intervention Promotion Council in an alleged attempt to expand its mandate to include revenue generation.
He said the investigation found no evidence that funds were approved or disbursed for the purported PFIPC or PEAC, adding that investigators also found no weaknesses in the systems of the State House or the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The commission recommended the prosecution of Adeyemi, disciplinary action against public officials alleged to have aided the operation of the fictitious agency, and reforms to strengthen internal controls across government institutions.
According to the report, officials from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Budget Office of the Federation and the National Information Technology Development Agency were identified as alleged collaborators in the scheme.
Aliyu, however, stressed that the investigation was still ongoing.
“The report is interim and the investigation continues to uncover more details to file criminal charges against Adeyemi and his collaborators,” he said.
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He added that President Tinubu had been briefed on the findings and reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability in addressing the matter.
The ICPC commenced the investigation following questions over the existence and activities of the purported PFIPC, which allegedly operated as a federal agency despite having no legal foundation.
Earlier findings had established that the council was never created by law, while Adeyemi was found to have allegedly used forged appointment documents and unlawfully occupied facilities belonging to the former Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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